In a thrilling pre-Thanksgiving game, the South Carolina Stingrays emerged victorious over the Jacksonville Icemen. Despite a valiant effort from the Icemen, they were unable to break through the Stingrays’ defense, resulting in a shutout for goaltender Mitchell Gibson.
The scoring started halfway through the first period when Jackson Leppard found the back of the net for the Stingrays, with assists from Josh Wilkins and Jon McDonald. Leppard continued his scoring prowess in the second period, adding another goal, this time assisted by Benton Maass. The third period saw goals from Matt Tugnutt, with assists from Maass and Spencer Meier, and Wilkins, assisted by Leppard and Jack Adams, bringing the final score to 4-0 in favor of the Stingrays.
While the Icemen managed to avoid any penalties during the game, the Stingrays received two, but the Icemen failed to capitalize on either opportunity. The shot count remained relatively low throughout the game, with the Stingrays registering six shots in the first period and the Icemen with five. The second period saw the Icemen with just five shots again, while the Stingrays doubled their count to 12. In the third period, the Icemen managed nine shots on net, while the Stingrays fired 15.
The three stars of the game were awarded based on their performances. Josh Wilkins claimed the third star, tallying a goal and an assist. Goaltender Mitchell Gibson, who earned his first shutout, was awarded the second star. The first star of the game was Jackson Leppard, who contributed two goals and an assist to the Stingrays’ victory.
Click here to see the full game gallery from ITR Photographer Andrew Fielder
Looking ahead, the Icemen will play their next game at home on Friday against the Florida Everblades, with the puck drop set for 7:00 pm. The Stingrays, on the other hand, will take on the Swamp Rabbits at home on Friday at 7:05 pm.
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